The County Am

Onalaska's Hubbard preparing for Women's County Am

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Published: 25 July 2018

ONALASKA, WI - Sydney Hubbard (pictured) admits she was extremely nervous last year as she walked down the 18th fairway at The Golf Club at Cedar Creek in Onalaska."I was just so nervous the last hole. I realized I actually had a chance to win," she said.Hubbard did win the first big tournament of her budding career - the 2017 La Crosse County Women's Amateur Golf Championship as presented by Pepsi-Cola of La Crosse. It wasn't easy as she nearly blew a four-shot lead on the final hole, but still finished with an impressive 76.“I ended with a quad (quadruple bogey), but I was able to hold on," said Hubbard, now 19 and a sophomore at the University of Sioux Falls.Courtney Bergum finished one stroke behind Hubbard in the Championship Flight and probably has the best chance to dethrone the defending champ this year.Sioux Falls, a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, is rebuilding, according to Hubbard, who played third, fourth or fifth on most days, but No. 1 and 2 on some days during her freshman year.Hubbard said her first year at Sioux Falls was pretty good, but she realizes she must improve."I played really well in all events in the fall and spring, but had a lot better scores in the spring," she said. "In the conference tournament, I finished in the top 20 and had my low round the last day."Hubbard also has been working to improve her game as the fall season approaches."I'm trying to get out quite a bit, practicing up for the season," she said. "Our coach is definitely expecting to get a lot out of us."Hubbard said she also is working on the mental part of her game to be mentally strong through 18 holes rather than 17 holes, a lesson she learned from last year's County Am. Hubbard's summer job finds her in the deli department at the Onalaska Festival Foods store after working in the golf shop at Cedar Creek last year when she met many members.Barb Hegenbarth, who won her second straight Women's First Flight with 87, has moved up to Championship Flight this year. Hubbard, Hegenbarth and veteran Jo Bistodeau form the last group in the five-player flight."Jo Bistodeau and Barb Hegenbarth - I know them from Cedar," Hubbard said. "I'm excited. It's supposed to be a really nice day. It should be fun, although there's a little more pressure on me than last year." Diane Pintz captured the 2017 Second Flight title with 91. It was her second women's title.Tee times begin at 7:32 a.m., with the final group leaving the tee at 8:12 a.m. Sixteen women are competing this year compared to 18 last year.